Speculation continues that the United States has sent key air defense assets such as Patriot (PAC-3) and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), which had been deployed with U.S. Forces Korea, to the Middle East. As concerns have been raised about readiness against North Korea amid forecasts that U.S. Forces Korea's air defense assets would be pulled out, the government has kept silent on the redeployment but stressed there is no security gap.
The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 9th, citing two U.S. government officials, that the United States, at war with Iran, is moving part of the THAAD assets deployed with U.S. Forces Korea to the Middle East. THAAD is an air defense asset that intercepts missiles at a higher altitude than PAC-3. Along with Cheongung-II, a medium-range surface-to-air guided missile, and PAC-3, it forms the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD).
After U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran late last month, forecasts persisted that U.S. Forces Korea's air defense assets, including PAC-3 and THAAD, would move to the Middle East. That is because U.S. bases in neighboring countries were struck by various Iranian drones, various air defense weapons at the bases did not avoid all attacks, and many interceptor missiles were expended.
In particular, as large U.S. transport aircraft such as the C-5 and C-17 took off and landed frequently at the U.S. Forces Korea Osan base, the possibility of pulling assets from U.S. Forces Korea gathered steam. According to civilian aircraft tracking sites, from the 28th of last month to this day, two C-5s and 11 C-17s took off from Osan. The C-17 was also reportedly used when the United States transported a Patriot battalion ahead of the "Midnight Hammer" operation, a surprise strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in June last year.
President Lee Jae-myung said on the 10th, "We have expressed opposition to U.S. Forces Korea exporting some air defense weapons in line with their own military needs, but it is an undeniable reality that we cannot fully enforce our position." The remarks are seen as effectively acknowledging the U.S. redeployment of U.S. Forces Korea's air defense assets.
However, the government's position is that even if some U.S. Forces Korea assets are pulled out, deterrence against North Korea remains intact, given the level of the domestic defense industry. Lee said, "If you ask whether there is any serious disruption to our deterrence strategy against North Korea, I can say unequivocally that is not the case," adding, "International organizations rate our military capability as high enough to rank fifth in the world."
It appears the assessment is that Cheongung-II and other systems can substitute. However, some say it is difficult to respond because THAAD has not yet been replaced by the long-range surface-to-air guided weapon L-SAM, which has not been fielded. L-SAM is currently in mass production, with fielding scheduled for next year.
Jeong Bit-na, Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson, said at a regular briefing on the morning of the day, "It does not help the national interests of Korea and the United States for us to comment on the operation of U.S. Forces Korea assets," adding, "Our explanation is limited."